Sundar Pichaihttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/sundar-pichai
en-usSun, 02 Aug 2015 16:55:37 -0400Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:55:37 -0400The latest news on Sundar Pichai from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-breaking-up-google-2015-2Google may carve up its struggling social network Google+ (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/google-breaking-up-google-2015-2
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 11:31:58 -0500Lisa Eadicicco
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54ef45e369beddf06786bcc7-800-/sundar-pichai-33.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" width="800"></p><p>Google may be considering chopping up its social network Google+ into separate pieces rather than keeping it together as one holistic social platform, according to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/miguelhelft/2015/02/26/exclusive-sundar-pichais-plan-to-keep-google-almighty/2/">a new report from Forbes</a>.</p>
<p>Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Android, Chrome, and apps, &nbsp;suggested to the publication that Google+ could be broken up into different components. Here's what he said to Forbes:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">I think increasingly you’ll see us focus on communications, photos and the Google+ Stream as three important areas, rather than being thought of as one area.</p>
<p>Pichai also said that a big part of Google+'s functionality involves the fact that it keeps you logged into Google's core products within your browser. For example, if you're logged into your Google+ account in Chrome, you'll automatically be logged into Gmail, Google Drive, and the company's other services.</p>
<p>He told Forbes that aspect of the service "was in many ways even more important" than the more traditional elements of the social network, like the main activity feed.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"That part has worked really well for us," he said to Forbes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He also said Photos and Hangouts could be broken out and separated from the main product. But, he also said none of Google's main products will disappear.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>This isn't the first time we've heard that Google may make some changes to Google+. Last April, anonymous sources told Tech Crunch <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-changes-2014-4">that Google was "shifting" the teams that work on Google+</a>, saying that those working on Hangouts and Photos might move to the Android team. In August, Bloomberg also reported that Google may <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-separating-photo-service-from-google-2014-8">separate the photos section from Google+</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As a social network, Google+ hasn't seen the same explosive growth as other platforms such as Facebook. According to Facebook's website, the social network has 890 million active daily users as of December 2014. About one year ago, Google claimed to have 540 million monthly active users, according to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/technology/the-plus-in-google-plus-its-mostly-for-google.html?_r=2">The New York Times,</a> &nbsp;but the publication also reported that nearly half of those users don't visit the social network.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-larry-page-google-2014-10" >The main difference between Google's rising star Sundar Pichai and Larry Page</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-breaking-up-google-2015-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-headphones-tricks-2015-2">14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/working-at-google-sundar-pichai-2014-12This Story From A Former Google Employee Tells Us Why Sundar Pichai Is Google's Rising Star (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/working-at-google-sundar-pichai-2014-12
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 12:39:00 -0500Lisa Eadicicco
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/548b184869bedd1350cd3bea-800-/sundar-pichai-27.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" width="800"></p><p>Google's Sundar Pichai might be one of the kindest executives in the technology industry. </p>
<p>You may not have heard of Sundar Pichai, but he's quickly become one of the most important people at Google.</p>
<p>Pichai, who was previously in charge of Google's Chrome and Android divisions, got a big promotion about two months ago. In addition to his previous responsibilities, Pichai is now in charge of all of Google's major products. </p>
<p>It's a big role, and he's taking on these new obligations as CEO Larry Page steps back to focus on the larger picture. </p>
<p>Based on what we've heard from Pichai's previous colleagues at Google, it sounds as if he's more than fit for the new responsibility. One former Google employee, who requested to remain anonymous, described Pichai's talent for handling chaotic and stressful situations with ease.</p>
<p>"There was definitely a culture at Google where people didn't always know what was happening," this person told us. "But Sundar would walk into meetings, and he knew everything he needed to know. He did a good job of seeing how everything moved across different functions."</p>
<p>One particular story sticks out to our source when recalling what it was like to work with Pichai. Before Google officially unveiled its Chrome browser in 2008, the news had leaked out on Labor Day during that year. A comic describing the browser had somehow been sent to a German blogger, and before long it had spread all over the internet. </p>
<p>It was a disaster for the Chrome team's marketing department. Our source in particular had put in a lot of hard work and long hours on the marketing campaign for Chrome.</p>
<p>At 7 a.m. on Labor Day, a holiday that Google employees would usually have off, our source received a phone call saying there was some type of emergency happening at the Mountain View office. The marketing went into "hyperdrive," as our source described it, turning on every marketing channel for Chrome.</p>
<p>"And what was amazing was you had hundreds of people on this team," our source said. "It felt like Sundar noticed every single person there."</p>
<p>Pichai didn't seem angry about the leak, according to our source, and he handled the situation calmly.</p>
<p>"He was just down to business," this person said. "He was like, 'OK, we need to get started. Let's move.' I never saw any sort of anger come out of him."</p>
<p>Our source was a low-level marketing employee at the time. Pichai, even back then, held a very important leadership position at Google.</p>
<p>But of the hundreds of employees on the Chrome team, Pichai took a particular liking to our source's hard work.</p>
<p>"A week or two later I got a notification from my manager saying Sundar had peer-bonused me," this person said. Peer bonusing is a system in which Google employees can give coworkers a spontaneous bonus on the spot. It's <a href="http://blog.bonus.ly/a-look-at-googles-peer-to-peer-bonus-system/">reportedly in the range of $175</a>, so not huge money, but it is good, unexpected money and a sign of respect.</p>
<p>"Which was unheard of simply because he wasn't my direct manager," our source said. "And it stuck with me ever since because it was unheard of, someone of that level noticing the work of someone like me."</p>
<h3><strong><br>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playboy-successor-hugh-hefner-playmate-2014-12">Hugh Hefner's 23-Year-Old Son Has A Plan To Redefine The Playmate</a></strong></h3>
<div><div>
<script src="//player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script><div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width:1920px;height:1080px"></div>
<script>OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'E2cG15cToh9ZY93b5WOe7ioxrwSDSxHx'); });</script><noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript>
</div></div>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<h3><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playboy-successor-hugh-hefner-playmate-2014-12"></a></strong></h3><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andy-rubin-google-2014-11" >A Former Google Employee Talks About What It Was Like Working With The Genius Who Created Android</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/working-at-google-sundar-pichai-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-larry-page-google-2014-10The Main Difference Between Google's Rising Star Sundar Pichai And CEO Larry Page, Summed Up In One Paragraph (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-larry-page-google-2014-10
Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:14:00 -0400Lisa Eadicicco
<p dir="ltr"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54515cf4eab8eab5604beed5-800-/sundar-pinchai-4.jpg" border="0" alt="sundar pinchai" width="800"></p><p>Google’s Sundar Pichai, who was previously tasked with overseeing the company’s Chrome and Android units, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10">just got a major promotion last week. </a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, he’s essentially in charge of all of Google’s major consumer products including Maps, Search, and Google+ as well as commerce and ads.</p>
<p>CEO Larry Page will be stepping back to focus on the “bigger picture.”</p>
<p>According to one former Google employee, the move seems natural — mainly because Page and Pichai offer two very different types of skill sets that complement each other. Maarten Hooft, a partner at the venture capital firm Quest Venture Partners who worked at Google for six years, between 2006 and 2012, described it like this when speaking to Business Insider:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">If I [were] to highlight one differentiator, [it’s that] Larry can take on that blue sky vision. He’s not afraid of setting an audacious goal. Whereas I think Sundar is more of a great operator. While Larry and Sergey [Brin] have these visions and can start these initiatives, I think it’s Sundar that’s the guy that can just get it done. He can assemble the team, he can appoint the right people, and he’s the one that makes it happen. That’s not to say that Sundar doesn’t have any product vision. But in terms of the grand 10-year horizon, I think Larry probably has more of that than Sundar does.</p>
<p>Hooft, who joined Google in 2006 as part of the search distribution team before moving to the Android department as a technical program manager in 2010, made it clear that these statements were based on his personal views and were not necessarily definitive.</p>
<p>Still, as a someone who spent time at the company for six years, Hooft was able to offer some insight as to how valuable Pichai was to Google.</p>
<p>“If there’s anybody that could take over as CEO one day, I would see Sundar as being a great choice for doing that,” Hooft said. “There’s a lot of smart people [at Google], but in terms of the consumer products he’s worked on so far, I doubt they would be as successful without Sundar being there.”</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/larry-page-young-2014-7" >This Story About Larry Page In College Perfectly Shows Why He's The Right Person To Lead Google</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-larry-page-google-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-translating-larry-page-2014-10This Story About Sundar Pichai Translating Larry Page To A Bunch Of Confused Execs Shows Why He's Second In Command At Google (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-translating-larry-page-2014-10
Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:06:00 -0400Jillian D'Onfro
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/544fa16fecad04da17b3adc2-705-529/sundar-pichai-25.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai"></p><p>Sundar Pichai, formerly the SVP of Android, Chrome, and Google Apps, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10" target="_blank">recently catapulted into a new position</a> overseeing all of Google's branded products, while CEO Larry Page takes a step back to focus on the "bigger picture." &nbsp;</p>
<p>In <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/10/27/in-new-structure-google-ceo-page-aims-for-faster-better-decisions/" target="_blank">his memo to employees about Pichai's new role</a>, Page said<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;of Pichai, "</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">We very much see eye-to-eye when it comes to product, which makes him the perfect fit for this role."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Those who have worked with him say Pichai is&nbsp;</span><span></span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-sundar-pichais-promotion-2014-10" target="_blank">incredibly smart, collaborative, and empathetic</a><span>, but he also has another unique skill: He knows how to translate CEO Larry Page.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p>One story a source told us summed up that idea perfectly.</p>
<p>About eight months ago there was a planning meeting with a bunch of VPs and directors from across products to discuss several secret projects, and they were all squabbling.</p>
<p>Then Larry Page walked in. He started talking about abstract concepts and big ideas unrelated to the established engineering roadmap and introducing aspects the teams hadn't expected.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Everyone was shocked into silence, and Page walked out without getting a single question. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">A minute later, Pichai walked in and broke everything down: "I talked to Larry, and I think what he means is this ..." </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">After that meeting concluded, Pichai hopped between the different teams and helped them figure out how they would move forward on the projects together. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"He's like the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/aaron-brother-of-moses" target="_blank">Aaron to Larry's Moses</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">," our source says, meaning that Pichai often acted as a spokesman for Page</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">. By not only interpreting Page's vision but then coordinating efforts between groups,&nbsp;Pichai may have already been stepping into his role before it was officially given to him.</span></p>
<p>"He's particularly good at managing Larry," another source agreed. "He has a great ability to listen to what Larry wants to have done, and either convincing him that that's actually happening by saying 'Here's how it's getting done,' or by going out and making sure it gets done."&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-sundar-pichais-promotion-2014-10" >Here's What Our Sources Are Saying About Sundar Pichai's Sudden Rise </a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-translating-larry-page-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-sundar-pichais-promotion-2014-10Here's What Our Google Sources Are Saying About Sundar Pichai's Sudden Rise (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-sundar-pichais-promotion-2014-10
Tue, 28 Oct 2014 08:51:00 -0400Jillian D'Onfro
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/544e866f6bb3f75147911e8b-1200-924/sundar-pichai-23.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai "></p><p>Google just made <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10" target="_blank">a major management shift</a> that has CEO Larry Page stepping back&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-larry-page-considers-google-a-teenager-2014-10" target="_blank">to focus more on the "bigger picture,"</a> while former Android and Chrome SVP Sundar Pichai gets way more responsibility.</p>
<p>Pichai will now oversee almost all of the company's product areas, including the search, maps, Google+, commerce and ads, and infrastructure teams. He's essentially the company's new second-in-command, overseeing all Google-branded products (note that he will not oversee YouTube or any other companies within Google like Nest or Calico).&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Page's memo to employees about the switch, he writes that "Sundar has a tremendous ability to see what’s ahead and mobilize teams around the super important stuff."</p>
<p>Page is not the only one with high praise for Pichai. Business Insider touched base with a bunch of sources close to the company to get their reactions on him and his new position.</p>
<p>Here's what we've heard:</p>
<ul>
<li>Everyone whom Business Insider talked to about Pichai emphasized that the exec was very empathetic; he actually cares about people. One former employee even said that Sundar was "without a doubt, one of the best people I've worked with," adding that when he decided to leave Google for a startup, Pichai was incredibly supportive and offered to help in any way he could.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Pichai also knows how to build amazing teams. According to one former Googler, "He promotes really good people as opposed to the most political and opportunistic people."</li>
<li>Unlike many execs, another source says, Pichai can "gracefully navigate the politics of a company as large as Google."</li>
<li>Because Pichai has a reputation of being so enjoyable to work with, people want to transfer to his org, which goes back to his ability to build strong teams.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Another former Googler who started one year before Pichai (who joined the company in 2004) says that even though Pichai was smart and capable from the get-go, "NO ONE" would have guessed he would end up as the company's second-in-command. He "did not have an obvious flair or overwhelming charm," our source says.</li>
<li>That "substance over overt style," attitude ultimately sums up Pichai's focus on quality work, focus, and results instead of standing out, we're told.</li>
<li>Not that everyone will necessarily be thrilled to have Pichai in charge. Sundar rose very fast within Google, and the egos of <a href="https://www.google.com/about/company/facts/management/" target="_blank">several members of Google's SVP team</a>&nbsp;who have been around a long time are bruised. "Most of Google remembers him in a much more junior role," one source says. "For some of the old-timers, reporting to the guy that used to be four levels below you is a challenging thing."</li>
<li>Another source tells the story of a meeting that took place about eight months ago that shows how Pichai could act as Page's interpreter. It was a planning meeting with a bunch of VPs and directors from across products to discuss several secret projects, and they were all squabbling. Then, Page walked in. He started talking about abstract concepts and big ideas unrelated to the established engineering roadmap and introducing aspects the teams hadn't expected. Everyone was shocked into silence, and Page walked out without getting a single question. A minute later, Pichai walked in and broke everything down: "I talked to Larry, and I think what he means is this ..." After that meeting concluded, Pichai hopped between the different teams and helped them figure out how they would move forward on the projects together. "He's like the <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/aaron-brother-of-moses" target="_blank">Aaron to Larry's Moses</a>," our source says, meaning that Pichai often acted as a spokesman for Page (in his memo to employees about Pichai's new position, Page acknowledged that the two "very much <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/10/27/in-new-structure-google-ceo-page-aims-for-faster-better-decisions/" target="_blank">see eye-to-eye</a>"). By not only interpreting Page's vision, but then coordinating efforts between groups,&nbsp;Pichai may have already been stepping into his role before it was officially given to him.</li>
<li>Another former Googler agrees that "managing Larry," is one of Pichai's major skills. One of the main differences between the two, though, is that Page's tendency is to say "no" to everything while Pichai's tendency is to say "yes" to everything. This can be both a strength and a weakness, our source says. Pichai is amazing at finding ways to get teams to compromise, we've heard, but that management technique will be put under stress in his new role, where he'll have to make tough decisions in which both parties won't be happy.</li>
<li>An anecdote we heard on Pichai's collaborative nature: Instead of being the kind of manager who interjected throughout a meeting, he would sit in the back, listen quietly, and then, once everyone had their say, deliver an idea that could work for everyone.&nbsp;</li>
<li>An interesting comparison we heard for Pichai's new role: He's going to be like a new Eric Schmidt, but working below Page instead of above him. Page liked having Schmidt to handle the things about running the company that he hated, like deciding how to allocate head counts for different teams or dealing with talent. Page will be able to once again focus on things he really cares about.&nbsp;</li>
<li>One theory we heard about Pichai's promotion was that it was partially motivated by Google's growing need for a more cohesive product strategy.</li>
<li>Several former Googlers even said that Page's decision to promote Pichai gave them faith in both the CEO and the company's future. "Seeing him get more and more responsibility gives me a ton of confidence in Larry's leadership and ability to judge people," one told us.&nbsp;</li>
</ul><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-larry-page-considers-google-a-teenager-2014-10" >Google CEO Larry Page Explains Why He's Reorganizing The Company </a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-people-are-saying-about-sundar-pichais-promotion-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-headphones-tricks-2015-2">14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichais-historic-rise-at-google-2014-10Everything You Need To Know About Google's New Product Kingpinhttp://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichais-historic-rise-at-google-2014-10
Sat, 25 Oct 2014 14:58:00 -0400Steven Tweedie
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/544bf1a7eab8ea0d26b69e0e-1200-710/15059553219_21dff7939f_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai"></p><p>Google made some big changes to its executive structure yesterday.</p>
<p>Google CEO Larry Page is going to be stepping back to focus "on the bigger picture," <a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/24/google-ceo-larry-page-reorgs-staff-anoints-sundar-pichai-as-new-product-czar/">according to Recode</a>, and f<span>ormer Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai is stepping into a larger role as a result.</span></p>
<p><span>Pichai will now be in charge of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps.</span></p>
<p><span>It's an impressive portfolio for Pichai, but many are still unfamiliar with Google's new product kingpin, who first joined Google in 2004 and eventually worked his way up to be Page's right-hand man.</span></p>
<p><span>Originally from <span>Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at&nbsp;<span>the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span>He then received <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/people/who-is-sundar-pichai-342526">a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School</a> at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a&nbsp;<span>Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at&nbsp;Applied Materials as an engineer and then at <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/03/14/who-is-google-androids-sundar-pichai/">McKinsey &amp; Company in management consulting.</a></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/544bf069ecad04bf3e6a0940-1200-924/sundar-pinchai-3.jpg" border="0" alt="sundar pinchai">In 2004, </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai joined Google as its v</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">ice president of product management, where he led the team working on Google's Chrome browser and operating system.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 <a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/24/google-ceo-larry-page-reorgs-staff-anoints-sundar-pichai-as-new-product-czar/">after&nbsp;<span>Google Apps head&nbsp;</span>Dave Girouard departed</a> to start his own company, Upstart.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO&nbsp;<span>Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion <a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/25/whats-new-google-product-kingpin-sundar-pichai-like-recode-will-provide-video/">"<span>a definitive case of nice guys finish first."</span></a></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Former Google product manager <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-googles-sundar-pinchai-stands-out-2014-10">Chris Beckmann spoke highly of Pichai</a> in <a href="http://www.quora.com/What-did-Sundar-Pichai-do-that-his-peers-didnt-do-that-got-him-promoted-up-to-the-highest-ranks-at-Google">a recent Quora post</a>, praising Pichai's ability to helm difficult projects while building a strong team.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>"He recruited, mentored, and retained a great team," said Beckmann. "Sundar's team of product managers had a reputation as being among the best of the best, similar to the reputation of the software engineers within Search Quality."</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Beckmann also mentioned that Pichai "avoided making enemies" in the midst of Google's workplace politics and "navigated those politics to make his team succesful while inflicting the least possible damage on any other team."</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai &nbsp;demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de">According to The Information's Amir Efrati</a>, Pichai "<span>used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores."</span><span><br></span></span></p>
<p>In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At his year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company."<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de"><br></a></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to potentially lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/08/23/links-23-aug-steve-ballmer-announces-resignation-microsoft-stock-soars/">after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013.</a></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page.</span></span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cvs-stores-reportedly-shut-down-apple-pay-support-2014-10" >CVS And Rite Aid Remove Apple Pay Support</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichais-historic-rise-at-google-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-googles-sundar-pinchai-stands-out-2014-10How Sundar Pichai Took Over Googlehttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-googles-sundar-pinchai-stands-out-2014-10
Sat, 25 Oct 2014 14:36:00 -0400Hayley Hudson and Steven Tweedie
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/544be9ce6bb3f72f32c5af35-1200-924/sundar-pinchai.jpg" alt="sundar pinchai" border="0"></p><p>A big shakeup at Google <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10">was reported Friday</a>. CEO Larry Page will be stepping back and focusing on "<a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/24/google-ceo-larry-page-reorgs-staff-anoints-sundar-pichai-as-new-product-czar/">the bigger picture</a>," shifting more responsibility to his right-hand man, Sundar Pichai.</p>
<p>It's a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichais-historic-rise-at-google-2014-10">big promotion for Pichai</a>, who will now be in charge<span> of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps. Formerly, he was head of <span>Android and Chrome.</span></span><span><br><br></span>This isn't his first big promotion. Indeed, earlier this year there was a thread on Quora under the question, "<a href="http://www.quora.com/What-did-Sundar-Pichai-do-that-his-peers-didnt-do-that-got-him-promoted-up-to-the-highest-ranks-at-Google">What did Sundar Pichai do, that his peers didn't do, that got him promoted to the highest ranks at Google?</a>"</p>
<p>Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann offered <a href="http://www.quora.com/What-did-Sundar-Pichai-do-that-his-peers-didnt-do-that-got-him-promoted-up-to-the-highest-ranks-at-Google">an insightful answer</a> in February. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He wrote:</span></p>
<blockquote class="blockquote">
<p>I never reported to Sundar or in his group, but many of my peers and friends did. Besides being incredibly talented and hardworking like many of his coworkers and peers, Sundar did a few things:</p>
<p>1. Foremost: he led successful efforts for difficult projects that were core to Google's continued financial success, namely Toolbar and Chrome. Toolbar wasn't an obviously sexy product but it helped defend the presence of Google search on users' computers during a critical period following the revelation of Google's incredible profitability. Chrome extended that mission to improve the user experience of the entire web: keep users on the web and you'll keep them searching on Google.</p>
<p>2. He recruited, mentored, and retained a great team. Sundar's team of product managers had a reputation as being among the best of the best, similar to the reputation of the software engineers within Search Quality.</p>
<p>3. He avoided making enemies. Google has politics like any other large company, and Sundar navigated those politics to make his team successful while inflicting the least possible damage on any other team.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We still don't know exactly what led to the latest changes at Google, but it's easy to see why Pichai ended up on top again.</p>
<p class="p1">Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology.</p>
<p class="p1">He received <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/people/who-is-sundar-pichai-342526"><span class="s1">a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School</span></a> at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar.</p>
<p class="p1">Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at <span class="s1"><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/03/14/who-is-google-androids-sundar-pichai/">McKinsey &amp; Company in management consulting.</a></span></p>
<p class="p1">In 2004, Pichai joined Google as its vice president of product management, where he led the team working on Google's Chrome browser and operating system.</p>
<p class="p3">Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets.</p>
<p class="p3">In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers.</p>
<p class="p3">Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 <a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/24/google-ceo-larry-page-reorgs-staff-anoints-sundar-pichai-as-new-product-czar/"><span class="s1">after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed</span></a> to start his own company, Upstart.</p>
<p class="p3">A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013.</p>
<p class="p3">Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion <span class="s1"><a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/25/whats-new-google-product-kingpin-sundar-pichai-like-recode-will-provide-video/">"a definitive case of nice guys finish first</a>."</span></p>
<p class="p3">Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de"><span class="s1">According to The Information's Amir Efrati</span></a>, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores."</p>
<p class="p1">In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company."</p>
<p class="p3">Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/08/23/links-23-aug-steve-ballmer-announces-resignation-microsoft-stock-soars/"><span class="s1">after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013.</span></a></p>
<p class="p3">As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page.</p>
<h3 class="p3">
<br><strong>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-fonts-timer-lego-space-numbers-2014-7">5 Awesome Google Features You Didn't Know About</a></strong>
</h3>
<div><div>
<script src="//player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script><div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width:1920px;height:1080px"></div>
<script>OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'J5Y2U3bzoIG_b9FvwXC1b1SZa9sN8clG'); });</script><noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript>
</div></div>
<p class="embed-spacer"></p><p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/people-are-beginning-to-talk-seriously-about-googles-search-business-being-irrelevant-2014-10" >Is Google search business in trouble?</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-releases-inbox-app-2014-10" >Google has a new app to reinvent email</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-googles-sundar-pinchai-stands-out-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10Larry Page Is Taking A Step Back At Google To See The 'Bigger Picture,' And Sundar Pichai Is Getting A Lot More Responsibility (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10
Fri, 24 Oct 2014 17:43:00 -0400Jillian D'Onfro
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/544ac5ee6bb3f7d00d608ad4-1200-924/larry-page-96.jpg" border="0" alt="Larry Page"></p><p>Google is reorganizing its executive structure.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Former Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai will lead all of Google's core products. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">CEO Larry Page taking a step back to focus on the "bigger picture," </span><a href="http://recode.net/2014/10/24/google-ceo-larry-page-reorgs-staff-anoints-sundar-pichai-as-new-product-czar/">Re/code's Kara Swisher and Liz Gannes report</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">. Google sent an internal memo to employees this afternoon to explain the changes. </span></p>
<p>Pichai will now head up research, search, maps, Google+, commerce and ads, and infrastructure, in addition to Android, Chrome, and Google Apps. The six executives leading each of those product areas will now report directly to Pichai instead of Page. YouTube, run by Susan Wojcicki, will not be under Pichai's domain. </p>
<p>Re/code's sources say that this switch-up seems to come from Page's concern that Google is becoming less innovative as it gets older. He wants to focus on the "bigger picture" and didn't feel like he could do that with so many direct reports and duties. </p>
<p>This is a big promotion for Pichai, but certainly not his first. He's been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-svp-2014-6" target="_blank">a rising star at Google</a> and Page's right-hand man for a while now. Originally, he only managed Chrome, but took over Google Apps in 2012 and Android in March 2013. He first started working at Google in 2004.</p>
<p>Why does Pichai keep getting promoted? A former Google product manager observed that he <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-googles-sundar-pinchai-stands-out-2014-10">succeeded with important projects, developed a great team, and avoided making enemies</a>.</p>
<h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-6-time-lapse-video-baby-sleeping-2014-10">We Put iPhone's Time-Lapse Video To The Test — With A Sleeping Baby</a>
</h3>
<div><div>
<script src="//player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script><div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width:568px;height:320px"></div>
<script>OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'V5MTk1cTrpRulNuBkjiqfNcForW5Mr0r'); });</script><noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript>
</div></div>
<p class="embed-spacer"></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/alan-eustace-highest-altitude-jump-world-record-2014-10" >A Google Exec Just Beat The World Record For Highest-Altitude Jump From The Stratosphere</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-exec-reorgination-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-on-google-vs-samsung-2014-6Google Exec: Samsung And Google Are 'Fellow Travelers,' Not Frenemies http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-on-google-vs-samsung-2014-6
Fri, 27 Jun 2014 12:52:00 -0400Jillian D'Onfro
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53ad9434eab8eafe594f8cb5-1200-924/sundar-pichai-14.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" /></p><p>Samsung and Google have an interesting relationship.</p>
<p>As of last fall, Samsung <a href="http://bgr.com/2013/11/08/samsung-android-devices-market-share/" target="_blank">devices accounted for 63.3% of all Android phones worldwide</a>. This large market share can make things tense between the two companies: Executives at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-Motorola-Experiment-the-Silver-Linings/">Google have talked openly about Samsung gaining too much power over it.</a>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Google wants Samsung phone users to rely on the products and services that make it money, but Samsung has increasingly started making its own custom apps. (<span>Interestingly, Google announced at its I/O conference that it would be&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-is-wooing-business-users-2014-6" target="_blank">baking some aspects of Samsung KNOX into its Android for Work features</a><span>&nbsp;to attract enterprise clients.)&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>There have also long been fears that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-samsung-forking-android-2014-3" target="_blank">Samsung could start using a "forked" version of Android</a>, which would cut it off from Google's Play Store ecosystem entirely.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As Google's head of Android, Chrome, and Apps, Sundar Pichai deals with Samsung more than anyone.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/06/sundar-pichai/" target="_blank">In an interview with Wired's Steven Levy</a> (who wrote <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Plex-Google-Thinks-Works-Shapes/dp/1416596585/ref=la_B000AR9LUS_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1403883078&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank">a book about Google called "In The Plex"</a>) Pichai expands on the relationship between the two companies after Levy asks him how much Samsung is a friend and how much it's an enemy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Samsung and us are in this together for a very long run because it makes sense for us to be in it together to win," he says. "I view us as fellow travelers. We realize unless we coordinate, we won&rsquo;t be able to produce a great user experience."</p>
<p>Pichai says the two teams work incredibly hard and close together on a daily basis. Sometimes the Samsung exec team will meet with Google in the U.S., but Pichai will go to Korea in the next several weeks. He told Levy he cherishes his very good relationship with Samsung co-CEO J.K. Shin, and that the meetings are good.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This warm enthusiasm comes shortly after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de" target="_blank">The Information's Amir Efrati</a>&nbsp;reported about an uncomfortable meeting at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In a heated moment, Pichai reportedly told Samsung's mobile-products execs he was "willing to walk away from Samsung," essentially forbidding the company from using Android.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-paid-apps-free-2014-6#ixzz35rEanKjE" >Amazon Is Giving Away 31 Of Its Most Popular Paid Apps For Free For The Next Two Days</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-on-google-vs-samsung-2014-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-features-from-android-2014-6The Guy In Charge Of Android Says Apple Actually Copied Google In Many Ways (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-features-from-android-2014-6
Tue, 24 Jun 2014 14:04:00 -0400Lisa Eadicicco
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/531dae976da8117a4375bc26-800-/ap343242472317.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" width="800" /></p><p>At this year's World Wide Developer's Conference, Apple added a handful of new features to its iPhone software &mdash; some of which have been available on Android for quite some time.</p>
<p>Google's Android chief Sundar Pichai wasn't shy about making this clear in <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-24/sundar-pichai-google-android-king-on-apple-samsung-and-amazon">a recent interview with Bloomberg Businessweek</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pichai, who is in charge of managing Google's entire Android division, recently responded to Apple's keynote at WWDC in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.</p>
<p>During WWDC, Apple CEO Tim Cook took a jab at Android, saying that most users own phones that are running on old versions of Google's software. Pichai had the following to say to Bloomberg in response:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Apple announced lots of great things in their keynote. They also announced things we have done in Android four or five years ago, [such as] third party keyboards, richer notifications, and widgets. These all happened in Android such a long time ago. If you step back and take a holistic look, I think any reasonable person would say Android is innovating at a pretty fast pace and getting it to users.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pichai also noted that there's a considerable difference in what Android and Apple are setting out to do. Apple makes software exclusively for its own devices, which include a few iPhone and iPad models.</p>
<p>Google, on the other hand, is responsible for developing the software that lands on smartphones and tablets from tons of different manufacturers, including Samsung, LG, HTC, and Motorola.</p>
<p>This is part of the reason Android accounts for such a giant chunk of the mobile space. The most recent statistics from research firm IDC, which were reported by <a href="http://bgr.com/2014/05/28/ios-vs-android-vs-windows-phone/">BGR</a>, indicate that Android could take over 80.2% of the worldwide smartphone market share by the end of 2014. Apple, comparatively, is expected to account for 14.8%.</p>
<p>There is truth to Pichai's words &mdash; many of the features we've seen in Android for months<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-copied-features-2014-6"> are now beginning to appear in iOS 8</a>. For example, Apple is now letting you access Siri by simply saying "Hey Siri" rather than long-pressing the home button. That sounds a lot like the Moto X's touchless voice controls, which allow you to access Google Now by simply saying "OK Google."</p>
<p>We expect to learn more about what Pichai and the rest of the Google team have in store for Android at Google I/O, which kicks off on Wednesday.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-android-phones-2014-2014-5" >Which Android Phone Should You Buy?</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-features-from-android-2014-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-svp-2014-6Here's Everything You Need To Know About Sundar Pichai, The Second Most Important Person At Google http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-svp-2014-6
Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:24:43 -0400Jillian D'Onfro
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53a87bb069beddac309abc76-812-609/sundar-pichai-google-android-chrome-15.jpg" border="0" alt="sundar pichai google android chrome" /></p><p>When <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-to-lead-android-2013-3" target="_blank">Sundar Pichai got a promotion last year</a> to head up Google's Android division, it further cemented his role as a rising star in the company. As senior vice president of Android, Chrome and apps, Pichai is responsible for some of Google's most important products.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today, many people see him as CEO Larry Page's likely replacement, when the time comes. He's expected to be on stage at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/week-ahead-in-tech-google-io-2014-6" target="_blank">Google's big I/O conference this week</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de" target="_blank">The Information's Amir Efrati just published an interesting profile</a> on Pichai that highlights how he rose through the ranks to become one of Google's top managers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-larry-page-right-hand-man?token=d575ff8e4f61fa30c1508a12af4a34de" target="_blank">The entire piece is worth a read</a>, but here's a quick look at what you&nbsp;need to know about Pichai, the second most important person at Google:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai, who has an educational background in business administration, has worked for Google since 2004. He started as a product manager for Google Toolbar, an extension that Internet Explorer users could install for making quick Google searches. It was a pretty unsexy job at the time, but he proved he could build strong relationships with other companies and managed to grow Toolbar's user base to about one in four web users by 2006. Marissa Mayer eventually made him the director of product management and Larry Page immediately promoted Pichai to a senior vice president position when he took the CEO spot back in 2011.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Today, Pichai is Page's right-hand man when it comes to important meetings. He joined Page when he met with WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum to try to convince him not to </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-buys-whatsapp-2014-2" target="_blank">sell his messaging startup to Facebook</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> and he helped Page </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-buying-nest-for-35-billion-2014-1" target="_blank">convince Nest's Tony Fadell to join his company with the Google team</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53a8997eeab8ea985dbfd1d0-1200-924/sundar-pichai-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" />Many Google employees picture Pichai as being the next CEO, despite the fact that he's not a technological visionary. He's like the Tim Cook to Apple's Steve Jobs: Not necessarily a man with a grand creative vision about how the company will change the world, but one that knows how to lead.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">When Microsoft was looking for a replacement for former CEO Steve Ballmer, the company reached out to Pichai as a possible candidate. Twitter also tried to poach him to be a head of product in 2011.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai is a team player. He has a knack for avoiding the </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sex-and-politics-at-google-its-a-game-of-thrones-in-mountain-view-2013-9" target="_blank">drama that Google higher-ups are known to succumb to</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> and he's more collaborative than combative when working with other execs. As one employee told Efrati, "He got s**t done without alienating the entire company."</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He's also known for being an emphatic leader. When he reported to Marissa Mayer, he used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores. He wanted to make sure they were always treated fairly. Even when he became vice president, he made time for long meetings with his subordinates.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53a899a16bb3f791493293c1-500-375/google-io-sundar-4.jpg" border="0" alt="google io sundar" />Pichai's team was responsible for launching Google's Chrome browser in 2008. Pichai had the tough job of calling up Google's partners &mdash; like Apple, which makes Safari, and Mozilla, which makes Firefox &mdash; to make sure that those relationships remained solid even though Google was releasing a competitive product. He managed to handle the situation extremely diplomatically.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pichai also knows when to throw his weight around. During a tense meeting at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to "walk away" from its enormous phone partnership with the company.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">One of Pichai's toughest jobs has been trying to turn </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/review-googles-hp-chromebook-11-2013-10" target="_blank">Google's Chromebook laptops</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> into mainstream products.</span></li>
</ul><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zulily-office-tour-2014-6?op=1#ixzz35USvGSVh" >Check Out The Playful Offices Of Zulily — An E-Commerce Site That's A Mom's Dream Come True</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-svp-2014-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-never-offered-to-acquire-whatsapp-2014-2Google Says It Never Offered To Buy WhatsApp For Billions Of Dollarshttp://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-never-offered-to-acquire-whatsapp-2014-2
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 10:23:44 -0500Alyson Shontell
<p class="p1"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/530f56f46bb3f75d2c4a1bd4-1088-816/google-event-sundar-2.png" border="0" alt="Google event Sundar" /></p><p>There have been multiple reports that Google <a href="http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/02/20/google-whatsapp-10-billion/">offered to buy WhatsApp for $10 billion</a> and that it was <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/Google-Was-Willing-to-Beat-Facebook-s-19-Billion-Offer-for-WhatsApp">willing to outbid Facebook's $19 billion offer</a>. But Google Vice President Sundar Pichai says neither of those things are true.</p>
<p class="p2">"WhatsApp was definitely an exciting product," <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10662526/Google-did-not-bid-for-WhatsApp.html">Pichai said at World Mobile Congress</a> this week in Barcelona. The Telegraph's Matt Warman first reported the quote. "We never made an offer to acquire them. Press reports to the contrary are simply untrue."</p>
<p class="p2"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">It's not clear what Pichai's definition of an "acquisition offer" is. He may mean no formal offer was ever given, or he may mean the talks never happened. Pichai says the two companies had been communicating, but not about an acquisition.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Here's what another Google executive, Eric Schmidt, had to say about the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-on-the-google-whatsapp-bid-we-like-whatsapp-2014-2">Google-WhatsApp buyout rumors.</a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-google-never-offered-to-acquire-whatsapp-2014-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nexus-7-live-blog-2013-7Google Just Wowed Everyone With Its New TV Dongle That Lets You Beam Videos From Your Smartphone (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/nexus-7-live-blog-2013-7
Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:21:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51f00c80eab8ea925900000f-480-/google-event-sundar.png" border="0" alt="Google event Sundar" width="480" /></p><p>Google just wrapped up a big press event where it announced two new products: a new Nexus 7 Android tablet and Chromecast, a dongle that plugs into your TV and lets you beam videos to it from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.</p>
<p>The Chromecast, which only costs $35, truly stole the show.</p>
<p>Chromecast will work on all major platforms like Android, iPhone, iPad, and the Chrome Web browser for computers. Developers can easily alter their video apps to work with Chromecast.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Chromecast is a big swipe at AirPlay, Apple's technology that lets you beam content from iPhones, iPads, and Macs to your Apple TV. However, AirPlay only works on Apple devices.</p>
<p>The new Nexus 7 tablet is a nice refresh to last year's model. It's thinner, lighter, has a rear camera, and runs a new version of Android, version 4.3.</p>
<p>We have all the specifics in our live blog from today's event below, so check it out.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nexus-7-live-blog-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/new-google-nexus-7-tablet-2013-7Here's A Look At The New Android Tablet Google Will Probably Announce Next Week (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/new-google-nexus-7-tablet-2013-7
Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:47:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There were several signs today that Google will announce its newest tablet, an update to the current Nexus 7, next week.</span></p>
<p>Google sent a few members of the press an invitation to have a breakfast meeting with newly-minted Android boss Sundar Pichai in San Francisco on June 24. (We're stuck in New York that day, so we had to politely decline the invitation. Sorry, Sundar!)</p>
<p>But those invitations also hit press inboxes as leaks began swirling on a few Android tech blogs about a new Nexus 7 tablet.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.androidcentral.com/new-nexus-7-pics-video-specs?utm_source=ac&amp;utm_medium=twitter">Android Central has the best leak of them all</a>, with some photos and video of the purported device. It looks like Google and its hardware partner Asus added a rear-facing camera this time around, which was absent in the original Nexus 7.</p>
<p>The 7-inch tablet also looks a bit slimmer than the original and has a rubbery backing.</p>
<p>Take a look at the video for more:</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HXrcUyCVA6c"></iframe></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-smartphones-2013-7" >The best smartphones you can buy right now</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-google-nexus-7-tablet-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/android-update-at-google-io-2013-5Don't Expect A Major New Version Of Android Until Late This Year At The Earliest (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/android-update-at-google-io-2013-5
Mon, 13 May 2013 10:03:21 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5097ef8feab8ea7158000026-400-/img_8113.jpg" border="0" alt="google nexus 4" width="400" /></p><p>Ahead of <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a>'s big I/O developers conference this week, the company's new <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android">Android</a> boss Sundar Pichai gave his <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/05/exclusive-sundar-pichai-reveals-his-plans-for-android/">first interview to Steven Levy of Wired</a> since taking the position in March.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At the end of the interview, Pichai gives us a hint of what we can expect Google to announce at its big keynote Wednesday morning. It doesn't sound like there will be many major new products. Here's what Pichai said when asked about Google I/O:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>It's going to be different. It&rsquo;s not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system. Both on Android and Chrome, we&rsquo;re going to focus this I/O on all of the kinds of things we&rsquo;re doing for developers, so that they can write better things. We will show how Google services are doing amazing things on top of these two platforms.</span></p>
<p><span>The statement backs up earlier reports that we shouldn't expect to see a brand new version of Android with a ton of new features. If anything, we'll get a minor update to the current version of Android called Jelly Bean. There might be a few new tweaks, bug fixes, and other goodies, but nothing as drastic as what Google announced when it updated Android during last year's event.</span></p>
<p>It's much more likely Google is holding off on its next big release of Android, which some think will be called Key Lime Pie, for later this year when it releases a new smartphone under the Nexus brand. Google has released a new Nexus phone every winter for the last few years, and usually uses those phones to debut a new version of Android. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nexus-4-review-2012-11">Last year's Nexus 4 phone</a> was the exception. That device ran a slight update to Jelly Bean, which was several months old by the time the phone launched.</p>
<p><span>Assuming Google follows that same pattern this year, that'll mean Android users will have to wait about a year and half before they can get a new version of the operating system.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/android-update-at-google-io-2013-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/google-on-facebooks-android-software2013-5GOOGLE: We Could Block Facebook's Android Software Eventually (GOOG, FB)http://www.businessinsider.com/google-on-facebooks-android-software2013-5
Mon, 13 May 2013 09:01:00 -0400Jay Yarow
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5190e2eaeab8ea0446000001-399-299/sundar-pichai-google-android-chrome-4.jpg" border="0" alt="sundar pichai google android chrome" width="399" height="299" /></p><p><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a> is leaving itself some wiggle room to eventually ban <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/facebook">Facebook</a>'s "Home" software from <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android">Android</a>.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/05/exclusive-sundar-pichai-reveals-his-plans-for-android/">an interview with Steve Levy at Wired</a>, Android leader Sundar Pichai suggests that software like Home could be stripped from Android if it leads to a bad experience for users.</p>
<p>We're going to include his full answer because it's important to get the full context. He is waffling back and forth, but ultimately is sounds like he wouldn't rule out blocking Home:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong> Some people worry that Google might respond to Facebook Home by blocking this kind of approach in a future release.</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">We want to be a very, very open platform, but we want a way by which end users are getting a good experience overall. We have to figure out a way to rationalize things, and do it so that it makes sense for users and developers. There&rsquo;s always a balance there. It&rsquo;s no different from the kind of decisions that Facebook has to make about its own platform. But right now, we don&rsquo;t plan to make any changes &mdash; we are excited they&rsquo;ve done good work.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Hold on. You&rsquo;re saying that you like innovation like Home&ndash;but at some point in the future you might decide that an invasive software approach like this isn&rsquo;t good for users and can&rsquo;t be done in a future Android release?</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">No. Let me clarify. Users get to decide what apps and what choices they want. Some users really want this. We don&rsquo;t want to get in the way of that. [But] in the end, we have to provide a consistent experience. As part of that, with every release of Android, we do go through changes. So we may make changes over time. But if this is what users want, I think Facebook will be able to do it. We want it to be possible for users to get what they want.</p>
<p>As you can see, he says, "I think Facebook will be able to do it," and "but we want a way by which end users are getting a good experience overall."</p>
<p>This quote from Pichai seems to confirm the cynical assumption is that if Facebook Home became a monster hit, Google would figure out a way justify blocking.</p>
<p>Luckily for Google, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-home-is-a-flop-2013-5">Home is a big flop</a>. Not many people are using it, and its reviews are terrible.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/05/exclusive-sundar-pichai-reveals-his-plans-for-android/">Read the full Pichai interview at Wired &gt;</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ios-7-redesign-2013-5" >Check Out A Gorgeous Redesign Concept For Apple's iPhone Software</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-on-facebooks-android-software2013-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-gossip-on-andy-rubins-demotion-2013-4Why Did Andy Rubin Get Demoted? Here's The Most Surprising Gossip We've Heardhttp://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-gossip-on-andy-rubins-demotion-2013-4
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:49:01 -0400Nicholas Carlson
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5159ddb5eab8ea8515000003-400-300/andy-rubin-8.jpg" border="0" alt="andy rubin" /></p><p>A couple of weeks ago, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a> announced that <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/andy-rubin">Andy Rubin</a>, the inventor of Google's <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android">Android</a> smartphone operating system, was stepping down.</p>
<p>In a blog post, Google CEO <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/larry-page">Larry Page</a> said that an executive named Sundar Pichai would take Rubin's place.</p>
<p>It was a shock.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Rubin created Android as a startup, sold it to Google, and then managed a team that got the OS installed on hundreds of millions of smartphones worldwide.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It was his baby.</span></p>
<p>Why was he getting pushed aside?</p>
<p>Was it because of his infamous, Steve Jobs-like temper?</p>
<p>The week after the news came out, we spent a few days in the Bay Area, talking with ex-Googlers and other plugged-in sources.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">We asked each of them about Rubin's sudden demotion.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Here's one explanation from one ex-Googler that we found particularly compelling.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rubin didn't get the boot because he's a tyrant with Google employees.</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Don't be confused.</p>
<p>All of the sources we gossiped with say Rubin <em>does</em> have a reputation for being ornery, nitpicky, and unhappy in a sometimes poisonous way.</p>
<p>But&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Rubin has </span><em style="line-height: 1.5em;">always</em><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> been difficult to work with, and it never cost him his job before.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Likewise, <span>G</span><span>oogle's very successful revenue boss, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/nikesh-arora">Nikesh Arora</a>, has a reputation with former colleagues as being someone who will "stab you in the face" &mdash; and he doesn't seem to be going anywhere.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">What we heard is that Larry Page doesn't mind employing gruff types ... so long as they serve his purpose.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Page must have decided that the way Rubin was running Android no longer served his purpose, and that an Android run by Sundar Pichai would.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">So the question becomes: What does Pichai bring to Android that Rubin does not?</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Android is just a means to an end</strong></p>
<p>Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Andy Rubin viewed Android's most successful partner, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/samsung">Samsung</a>, as a potential threat.</p>
<p>Why?: Samsung could grow so popular with consumers, that it could eventually re-write Android's code in an entirely customized way, and stop calling it Android altogether.</p>
<p>The report said Rubin told a room full of Google executives that Google-owned phone-maker <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/motorola">Motorola</a> was a hedge against Samsung growing too powerful.</p>
<p>Rubin's comments indicated a view of Android as something to preserve and protect.</p>
<p>Our source believes that Larry Page isn't nearly so worried about Android itself. This source says that Page views it as a means to an end.</p>
<p>He says&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Page views Google as "</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">a cloud services company," built on cornerstone products like Search, Maps, Mail, and <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/youtube">YouTube</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He says Page views Android as a way for Google to partner with</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;hardware-makers to make these services more available to consumers.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">As a side benefit, Android has made it so that the world of smartphones is not dominated by a single player: Apple.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">In this context, the promotion of Pichai makes more sense.</p>
<p>Pichai established himself at Google running the team that convinced computer-makers to pre-install the Google Toolbar.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Our source says that at the highest levels of Google, it is believed that Pichai's success establishing those partnerships played a crucial role in exposing Google search to consumers, and making it a part of their daily routine.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Now, according to this speculation, Page is asking Pichai to pull off the same trick again: Make new Google services a part of consumers' daily lives by having hardware-makers install software access points to those services.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If those "software access points" are called Android, fine.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If they are called Samsung OS; that's fine too.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>But what about Motorola?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Some people say that Google bought Motorola in order to copy Apple's business model.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If that were true, that would contradict the theory that Android is just a means to an end for Page.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">But our speculating ex-Googler has a good answer for this. He notes that Page didn't put an executive with product-building experience in charge of Motorola; he gave the gig to Dennis Woodside, a former McKinsey consultant from Google's sales organization.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Our source believes Google bought Motorola for the reason it's stated over and over: patents.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">He believes that Page put Woodside in charge because he wants to optimize Motorola's core competency: hardware technology development.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Our source believes Page wants Motorola to focus on better, longer-lasting batteries and faster chips, with the goal of pushing the entire phone-making industry forward.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Why?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">So that Google's cloud-based services run better and can do more things on all kinds of mobile devices.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-gossip-on-andy-rubins-demotion-2013-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-kevin-packingham-google-andy-rubin-2013-3Samsung Exec Says Google's Ousted Android Chief Was Stubborn (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-kevin-packingham-google-andy-rubin-2013-3
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:48:00 -0400Owen Thomas
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/514b7fd669bedde860000006-400-300/kevin-packingham-samsung-ignition-mobile.jpg" border="0" alt="Kevin Packingham, Samsung chief product officer, Ignition Mobile 2013" width="400" height="300" /></p><p>It sounds like <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/samsung">Samsung</a> is happy about <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a>'s recent reorg, which put a new executive in charge of the <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android">Android</a> mobile operating system that runs many Samsung smartphones and tablets.</p>
<p>"The Google relationship has gotten stronger over the last two years," Samsung chief product officer Kevin Packingham told the Wall Street Journal's Jessica Lessin in an on-stage interview at <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/business-insider">Business Insider</a>'s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/ignition-mobile">IGNITION Mobile</a> conference in San Francisco Thursday afternoon.</p>
<p>As reports surfaced that Google was worried about Samsung's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-android-market-share-2013-2">dominant share of Android smartphones</a>, Google CEO <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/larry-page">Larry Page</a> announced that <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/andy-rubin">Andy Rubin</a>, the longtime leader of the Android group at Google, would be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-android-apps-sundar-pichai-2013-3">replaced by another executive, Sundar Pichai</a>.</p>
<p>Packingham credited Rubin with having the vision to create Android and drive its adoption.</p>
<p>But once Rubin took a position, Packingham said, "<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">You weren't going to get him to deviate from that position."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Packingham praised Pichai, Rubin's replacement as head of the Android project. Pichai, previously responsible for the Chrome Web browser and Google Apps, is adding responsibility for Android.</span></p>
<p>"Sundar's a super-nice person," Packingham said. "He's very collaborative."</p>
<p>"The Google relationship is super-important," Packingham said, because the companies had to convince consumers to try not just a Samsung-branded phone but a Google-powered operating system.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-kevin-packingham-google-andy-rubin-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/google-android-apps-sundar-pichai-2013-3Google Just Redefined What Android Is All About (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/google-android-apps-sundar-pichai-2013-3
Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:30:00 -0400Owen Thomas
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4dcabb52ccd1d5e26e150000-402-300/sundarpichai-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Chrome OS head Sundar Pichai at Google I/O" width="402" height="300" /></p><p><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a> CEO <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/larry-page">Larry Page</a> just <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/android-boss-andy-rubin-steps-down-2013-3">announced the biggest reorganization the company has seen since he took over in 2011</a>.</p>
<p>Sundar Pichai, who oversees the Chrome Web browser and Google Apps, its collection of Web-based software for email and document editing, is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-to-lead-android-2013-3">taking over responsibility</a> for its <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/android">Android</a> mobile operating system from <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/andy-rubin">Andy Rubin</a>, Android's original creator.</p>
<p>Two years ago, Page created a bunch of separate product groups within the company, each led by an executive who reported directly to him. At the time, Android was one group. Chrome and Apps was another.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Until a year ago, the Android team didn't even use Chrome&mdash;it had its own Android Web browser.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Google has slowly been rationalizing similar disjoint efforts. For example, it rolled together several digital-download stores into a single Google Play store for apps, e-books, and music.</span></p>
<p>Expect more rationalization to come. Pichai now oversees all of Google's operating-system efforts&mdash;ChromeOS for laptop and desktop computers and Android for mobile devices. Those are probably headed for unification, as are Google Play and the Chrome Web Store.</p>
<p>And expect an even greater emphasis on Android devices running a standard set of Google apps&mdash;<a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/gmail">Gmail</a>, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google-maps">Google Maps</a>, Google Drive, and others.</p>
<p>Putting these organizations together isn't just some kind of random corporate reorg. It's a rational move that recognizes that most of the value Google offers in mobile devices is in the software it provides above the basic operating-system level&mdash;software that will be woven deeper and deeper into the Android experience.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-android-apps-sundar-pichai-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-to-lead-android-2013-3This Is The Man In Charge Of Android Now (GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-to-lead-android-2013-3
Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:18:00 -0400Jay Yarow
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4fc8bea76bb3f7a34500000a-379-283/sundarpichai-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Sundar Pichai" width="379" height="283" /></p><p><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a> just announced a big shake up.</p>
<p><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/andy-rubin">Andy Rubin</a>, who founded and led Android, is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/android-boss-andy-rubin-steps-down-2013-3">stepping aside to work on other projects at Google</a>.</p>
<p>In his place, Sundar Pichai will take the lead on Android.</p>
<p>Pichai already runs one of Google's major projects &mdash; Chrome. Chrome is a web-based operating system that has largely focused on traditional computing platforms like the laptop.</p>
<p>Chrome was developed alongside Android at Google, but clearly Android has become the bigger success.</p>
<p>In the release announcing Rubin's move, CEO <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/larry-page">Larry Page</a> said Android is on 750 million devices. Chrome is just getting started on laptops. We'd be stunned if it was on more than a thousands of computers.</p>
<p>It's a bit of a mystery as to why Google has two operating systems.</p>
<p>Even Pichai <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/even-the-mother-of-the-guy-in-charge-of-chrome-doesnt-know-why-google-has-two-operating-systems-2012-6">admits that his own mother asks him about it</a>. Last June he tried to explain it by saying, Android is for phones and tablets, but Chrome for desktop users who want to work in the cloud.</p>
<p>This doesn't necessarily make all that much sense, though, since the Chrome team is reportedly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-will-sell-touchscreen-chrome-os-2013-2">porting its operating system to work on tablets</a>, just like Android. Its most recent product, a gorgeous Chrome laptop called the Pixel has a touch screen.</p>
<p>The best explanation we ever heard for why Google has Chrome and Android <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ray-ozzie-schools-steve-ballmer-on-stage-at-all-things-d-2010-6">came from former Microsoft executive Ray Ozzie</a>. He described Android has a bet on the past and Chrome as a bet on the future. Android, though mobile, has a lot of traditional operating system elements. Chrome, which is all web based, is a bet that you can operate entirely in the cloud.</p>
<p>With Pichai taking over, we expect the two operating systems will merge.</p>
<p>Pichai is highly regarded at Google. In 2011, Twitter tried to poach him to lead product. He stuck with Google <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-paid-two-employees-tens-of-millions-dollars-not-to-take-jobs-at-twitter-2011-4">after it paid him tens of millions in stock to stick around</a>.</p>
<p>He takes on Android at an interesting time.</p>
<p>The hyper growth for Android is probably done. The major, earth changing features are probably set. Now it's a matter of polish, tweaking, and gradually adding new innovations. It's also about managing the next phase of growth, which will be slower.</p>
<p>Simultaneously, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/samsung">Samsung</a> has pretty much consumed the Android brand. This isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world, but it makes Google somewhat nervous.</p>
<p>And then there's Google's own aspirations with hardware. Pichai's team just release a laptop, the Chrome Pixel. It's reportedly interested in doing its own tablets.</p>
<p>At the same time, Google owns <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/motorola">Motorola</a> which is building phones.</p>
<p>If Pichai likes to make hardware, will he want to make his own phones? And will that be a conflict with Motorola?</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sundar-pichai-to-lead-android-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>